Tragedy as North Carolina judge dies in front of his wife and children trying to save drowning woman at beach

Authorities say 54-year-old Mitchell McLean died Wednesday while trying to help a husband and wife struggling in the water. McLean was the chief District Court judge for Wilkes, Ashe, Alleghany and Yadkin counties

A North Carolina judge vacationing on the beach with his family died yesterday after he heroically leaped into the sea to save a woman experiencing difficulties.

Authorities said that 54-year-old Mitchell McLean perished trying to help a husband and wife struggling in the water.

The woman he was trying to save, 55-year-old Mary Ann Galway later died in hospital and her husband, Edward John Galway, 59 was treated before being released on Wednesday afternoon.

Chief District Court Judge Mitchell 'Mitch' McLean of Wilkesboro was pronounced dead following the tragic rescue attempt at Sunset Beach on the Southeastern North Carolina coast.

McLean dashed into the waters to aide Edward Galway as he was trying to bring his wife to shore after she became trapped in a strong rip current that was dragging her out to sea.

The judge, who had worked for 15-years as a public servant was on vacation at the popular beach with his wife and children and received CPR on the shore after being pulled from the sea but could not be resuscitated.

'Upon arrival, two of those individuals were in cardiac arrest on the shore,' said Brunswick County Emergency Management Director Anthony Marzano to Star News Online.

'The other was unconscious and unresponsive.'

Loss: Beth McLean was with her husband at the beach when he jumped into the sea to save a woman who had run into difficulties while swimming

A keen basketball player, McClean practiced law at Vannoy, Colvard & Triplett in North Wilkesboro before becoming a judge.

He was known for his colorful sense of style with clothes, such as wearing lavender ties and shirts.

'What I’ll miss about him most is his friendship. We were very close friends and we talked often,' said his friend and Chief Resident Superior Court Judge Edgar Gregory of Wilkesboro.

'If you had a problem it was his problem too and he would ask you about it. He was a good listener…. He was one of those rare people that everyone loved.

'Rip currents are fairly common at our beaches,' NMWS meteorologist BRad Reinhart said to WSOCTV.com.

'Even on days when we have a low risk of rip currents you can see individual ones that might be powerful enough to pull a child or someone that's not a strong swimmer. Any swimmer should be aware of the threat and know how to effectively escape it.'